DOHA: Qatar has said it welcomes Iran’s nuclear framework agreement with the US and others, and expressed the hope that after a clear final deal is inked it would make Tehran pursue its nuclear mission for peaceful purposes.
“We want Middle East to be free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction,” said Foreign Minister H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah.
In an interview to London-based Arabic newspaper Sharq Al Awsat given from Paris which appeared yesterday, Qatar’s Foreign Minister said that Iran had the right to pursue its nuclear mission for peaceful purposes.
“We are looking to build strong relationship with Iran and we want an open and serious dialogue with it regarding security and stability of the region.”
Asked about Egypt, Al Attiyah said Qatar’s relations with the country are cordial and that it is an important Arab country. For Qatar it is important to keep Egypt strong because anything adverse that might happen there could affect the other Arab countries.
In reply to another question, the foreign minister said that the GCC states didn’t have problem with all the Houthis in Yemen but with only a certain group which has been misled by former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
“Saleh has put the group in a pitiable situation,” Al Attiyah said when told that Houthis wouldn’t agree to come to Riyadh for a dialogue as is being insisted on by the GCC states.
As for the UN Security Council Resolution on Yemen, Al Attiyah said the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has 10 days to report to the Security Council about its implementation after which there would be strict measures taken if the Resolution is not implemented or if all the parties do not comply.
However, for the UNSC Resolution to be complied with the Houthis would have to first withdraw from the areas they control, including from capital Sana and disarm Houthi militias and implement the GCC initiatives and National Dialogue.
The UNSC Resolution will put more pressure on the Houthis and prevent them from getting weapons from outside, the FM said.
The Peninsula
